Attorneys are known for their gift of gab. But for Krystin Montersil and Stephanie D’Angelo – both second-year law students – it was their ability to listen that earned them the coveted FIU Law 12th Annual Intramural Moot Court championship title.
The Honorable Kevin M. Emas, of Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal and one of the three judges presiding over the competition, pointed out to the students that “it was your ability to listen and make sure that no matter what you were being hit with that you were able to bring it back and answer the question; that impressed us.”
Now in its twelfth year, the Moot Court competition is a practical exercise for students taking Appellate Procedure. This year’s competition began with 16 teams who, over the course of several months, wrote briefs and competed in multiple oral argument rounds. From there, the field narrowed to the two remaining Final Round teams.
“While the classroom instruction in brief writing and oral argument is very important,” noted Professor David Walter, “it’s really the actual writing and the delivery of multiple arguments that allow the student to develop and hone their writing, thinking and speaking skills and become better advocates.”
During the final round the two teams, Montersil and D’Angelo as the Petitioner and Amanda Torres and Jean Pierre “J.P.” Bado for the Respondent, appeared before the “Justices of the United States Supreme Court” to argue two issues in the fictional case: United States v Jonathon Weirich. The Justices view oral arguments not as a forum for the lawyers to rehash the merits of the case as explained in their briefs, but as an opportunity for the advocates to answer any questions that the Justices may have developed while reading the briefs and the case record.
Each side is given a half hour to make their best legal case, but the majority of their time is spent answering the Justices’ hard-hitting questions.
Krystin Montersil, who was also named Best Orator-Final Round, felt that “the experience of competing in the final round was extremely challenging and rewarding. It helped me learn how to carefully analyze legal issues and prepare an effective argument,” she shared.
Following the hearing, the Justices deliberated to determine the winning side and who would receive honor as Best Orator. The Honorable Adalberto Jordan, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, served as the Chief Justice for the proceedings, shared his impression of how both teams faired under the gun of their questioning.
“All of you were very good,” he said. “No one broke a sweat!”
For D’Angelo, who used to have an absolute fear of public speaking, this victory is extra special.
“I remember sitting in Professor Klion’s office crying because I was so worried about how I was going to perform during my LSV II oral argument. The thought of standing in front of a room full of people with all of their eyes on me was terrifying,” she confessed. “Trying out for moot court was one of the toughest things I have done in law school, but it was worth it. The feeling of standing in front of judges and delivering your argument is indescribable. The satisfaction from successfully delivering my oral argument was worth all of those sleepless nights, the emotional breakdowns and the sweaty palms and shaking legs because I know I have accomplished something that I never thought I could.”
Despite having to name a winning team, the Justices had only good things to say about the Respondents, Torres and Bado, who were, according to one of the judges, “poised under fire and answered questions directly and quickly!”
For Professor Walter, the final round capped off another successful moot court competition year.
“At FIU Law, developing our students’ skill set is a three-year process that begins with our Legal Skills & Values classes in year one, moves into our intramural competitions and tryouts for our Appellate Advocacy/Moot Court teams, Negotiation/Mediation/Arbitration teams and our Trial teams in year two and then finally on to regional, national and international competitions with other law schools in year three,” he said.
